Shade
Release Date:
April 9, 2004
Limited release
Poker is all the rage these days with the Travel Channel's World Poker Tour, Bravo's Celebrity Poker Showdown and the granddaddy of them all, ESPN's World Series of Poker all drawing killer ratings in 2003/2004. Spade looks to follow in the footsteps of the Matt Damon classic, Rounders, by telling a story of a hotshot gambler looking to prove his mettle against The Dean of the game.
The story here is that Charlie Miller, a successful con artist, is looking to make the proverbial (and cliche) one last big score before heading off to greener pastures. When he finds a kid he thinks has the talent to pull of the big sting, the two enter into a partnership. Alas, the kid has a girlfriend who may or may not be helpful in their pulling off the heist. It's all very The Color of Money.
The ace in the hole here if you'll pardon the pun is the casting. Stuart Townsend, Lestat himself, portrays Vernon, the gifted grifter Charlie picks. World's Sexiest Woman frontrunner Thandie Newton is cast as his hustling girlfriend. The two of them and Charlie initially seek the help of The Dean (Sylvester Stallone keeps hanging around, doesn't he?) in order to complete their task. They come to discover his assistance is a dual-edged sword before the group all find themselves being chased by a bitter mobster angry over his recently lost revenues.
While the plot might sound generic, there is cause for hope. Shade is written and directed by Damian Nieman, a self-professed gambling junkie. His knowledge of the nefarious underbelly of the casino lifestyle could make for a gritty insight into the seamy side of the realm of professional gambling. (David Mumpower/BOP)
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